The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-03-03

-. Andrews nay.
No part Of Florida b the subject II more com-
meut just now than this place. Tue direct cause
Of this b the flaming and liberal advertisemsnts
Of l" the St Andrews Bay r. r. and Land Com-
pany," In which they oGer " free homes for al, >
and depict 10 sxtravagant terms the quality Of
the land, the productions Of the sos, and the ad-
vantages Of the location. Numerous inquiries
have been received here from every section Of
country respecting the responsible lty of the COM
pany, the character Of their lands, and the facii
ties for transportation. And it b proper that .
fair and correct statement should be given TO the
be created against st. Andrews ~ q place. and,
also. that the public should not be misled BY over
drawn pictures concerning it.
As to the ST. Andrews Bay r. r and Land
Company" we know but little. It was organized
we learn in Cincinnati, o., aud it's operations arc
carried on almost entirely beyond the limits of
this State. The State records do not show
that the company has been incorporated
here, but they have acquired and pay. taxes on
about 90 600 acres of land ON aud near the bay
and we presume there is no doubt about their
titles. Some of these lands must be desirable,
for those lying on the bay are generally high and
dry, and would make good building sites, while
further back there is an extensive pine forest,
which yields the best quality of good heart lum
Der. The latter class of lands is interpreted
with fiat marshy spots, and slight ridges of very
fair pine land. One taking lot at distance
may get something worthless or may not 1t
may be two or three miles from the water and
in q marsh On the other hand 1t may be on
the beach-though we apprehend that the
water fronts" and other desirable places are
not on the free list. !"
That any one seeking home should purchase
land for that purpose without first viewing it in
person or obtaining certain information respect
ing it and its precise location is evidence of the
most astonishing credulity. And that any one
possessing moderate share of business sense
should be induced to invest in st. Andrews
lands because of the advertisements of the COM
pany referred to is, if possible, more astonishing
and we have been looking upon their golden
argosy" notice as very innocent publication
We are not denying that the company has
some good lands and many places suitable for
nice homes, though these should be selected
with great caution, but it is an exaggeration for
them TO speak of Orange Groves" or to say
that their lands are very fertile. We do not
doubt they have good average pine lands, and
we believe that vegetables are grown in great
perfection near the water. Peaches and melons
do remarkably well there, and there are few or
ange trees, which have born some fruit, but this
crop is very uncertain, and cannot be relied
upon there as in the adjoining county of Cal
houn.
But the extravagant claims of this company
for st. Andrews Bay should not cause the rea
advantages of the place to be moderated, be-
cause Of the improbability of these representa-.
TONS Much that is said about i, in their notices
is true. There is no finer body of water along
the Gulf coast. AS harbor it is broad anG
Deep and we'll protected. afording at the bar, the
narrow entrance into the Gulf-from 16 to Ii
feet of water at all times. The three grea
arms, north, east and west make a body
of water about fifty miles in extent. Tht
beach is everywhere regular, smoothe ant
prominent. The lands adjacent are elevated
affording the most beautiful sites for residences
A learned gentleman from Boston, who ha(
visited the bay and sailed and fished on it
waters, once said to the writer that if it lay il
New England it would be surrounded by con
tinuous line of villas, aud would be the mos
popular resort in the country. There is NJ
marsh or saw grass or mud on its coast, and NJ
healthier spot can be found in the South Ii
ante belum days the planters of West Floridi
| owned residences and spent their summers
| there, when they had means to 60 to Saratog'
or other popular and fashionable places, and il
now as heretofore a health resort for many O
our people in that portion of the State.
abounds in fish of the finest quality, and oyster
that cannot be excelled. 1t is famous for goot
angling and good shooting, there being al
abundance of deer and other game in the sur
rounding forests. The back country is full o
the best quality Of yellow pine, which mus
eventually be turned into lumber on this bay.
Now about transportation. Many have BEEF
led to believe that a railroad runs to 81
Andrews This is not 80 ; but one has beef
projected recently with good prospects c
success We refer to the "Eufaula an
st. Andrews Bay Air Line Railroad,
which has no connection with the st. Andrew
Bay r. r and Land Co., and which is in tn
hands Of reliable business men of ample capita
This road will pass through some of the fines
lands in West Florida and Southeast Alabama
And these, together with the advantages pre-
sented by st. Andrews as an outlet to the Gnl
and resort for health and sport in both winter an
summer, offer inducements which insure the sue
cess of the work. AS an earnest oftheir abilityan
intention to build the road the company has re
Gently purchased from the Pensacola and Allan
tic r. r. 10000 acres OF their lands around tn
bay and along the proposed route. If there ha
been any swindling connected with st. Andrew
Bay, the people of Washington county and Yves
Florida had no part 10 it, and did not counte
nance 1t. All they ask is, that 81. Andrews shall
stand on its real merits, and close inspection
| will show that it has many.
|
Electric Motor Power.
Since the days when Pharaoh pursued tn
Israelites out of Egypt with chariots and war
horses, to the modern times when the steam